WHEN thinking about castration, especially of the foal or fully mature equid, we all should give pause for thought. Will it achieve what I, the human, wish for him the horse, e.g. a reduction in ‘unwanted’ behaviours? Will the procedure be safe – for him as well as me? Do I need to travel to a specialist clinic or can the procedure be performed (literally) ‘in-the-field’? Is a general anaesthetic (GA) necessary or could it be performed with the horse still standing? When it comes to donkeys, there are additional complications again - they are not small horses with big ears!

Surgical procedure